Joseph Name Popularity

How popular is Joseph?

In 2017 the very popular name Joseph, ranked the 19th Most Popular Boys Name in the United States.

Presently one of the top 50 most popular, Joseph has been a top 50 placer since the Social Security Administration began keeping records in 1880.

Its highest popularity RANKING of #5 was reached for the first time in 1912 and as recently as 1917.

However, the name was bestowed upon the greatest number of babies in 1956 with 32,715 occurrences.

In any year, the least number of babies named Joseph was 2,456 in 1887.

Decidely upward trends in the number of babies given the name Joseph occurred roughly during the years 1889-1892, 1897-1900, 1903-1918, 1943-1947, 1948-1954, and 1975-1980, whereas unequivocal downward movement occurred about 1927-1933, 1963-1967, 1969-1973, 1991-1997, and 1998-2016.

For a number of years, the name Joseph has steadily decreased in popularity. Of late, continuing the trend, the number of parents selecting the name Joseph for their newborn has dropped.

What does the future hold for the popularity of Joseph?

Overall, when compared to its most prominent year, the name's popularity is at a low point.

The name Joseph is a huge favorite but will probably continue to drift downward in popularity.

*Mouse over the charts or scroll down to the table for data details.

Mouse over or Click for Percentages.

Joseph (Girl)

Joseph (Boy)

Year

%

No. of Babies Given Name

Popul. Rank

No. of Babies Given Name

Popul. Rank

2017

19

6,363

10,360

19

2016

12

9,094

10,892

20

2015

11

9,748

11,471

21

2014

6

15,469

12,106

20

2013

20

6,340

12,231

20

2012

16

7,608

12,553

19

2011

23

5,820

12,964

22

2010

16

7,682

13,825

20

2009

20

6,671

14,914

15

2008

30

4,945

16,571

13

2007

28

5,160

17,333

13

2006

29

4,872

18,440

11

2005

36

3,988

19,210

9

2004

103

1,843

20,123

9

2003

31

4,253

21,361

6

2002

35

3,759

21,891

7

2001

27

4,500

22,004

8

2000

24

4,863

22,825

8

1999

44

3,020

23,210

8

1998

50

2,709

23,178

11

1997

45

2,749

23,589

12

1996

52

2,462

24,754

12

1995

62

2,166

25,345

12

1994

77

1,845

25,728

11

1993

67

2,054

27,007

12

1992

68

2,017

27,894

11

1991

88

1,684

29,835

9

1990

84

1,746

30,127

10

1989

139

1,179

29,869

11

1988

182

931

29,003

12

1987

217

808

28,510

12

1986

208

807

28,833

12

1985

227

755

30,213

10

1984

211

765

30,512

10

1983

211

763

30,456

11

1982

196

812

31,047

11

1981

186

841

30,772

11

1980

217

763

30,202

10

1979

209

770

28,667

11

1978

180

828

26,668

10

1977

176

845

26,492

10

1976

142

920

24,072

12

1975

132

955

22,142

12

1974

124

988

21,838

12

1973

134

922

21,328

12

1972

128

954

22,469

12

1971

148

896

24,517

15

1970

138

931

26,732

16

1969

154

834

26,187

15

1968

134

891

25,401

16

1967

122

931

25,940

15

1966

100

1,045

26,991

15

1965

120

927

28,660

11

1964

118

977

30,550

11

1963

137

897

30,101

13

1962

105

1,055

30,083

13

1961

112

1,032

29,445

12

1960

120

979

29,746

12

1959

92

1,116

29,523

13

1958

81

1,184

30,095

12

1957

94

1,076

31,806

12

1956

84

1,130

32,715

12

1955

86

1,092

31,604

13

1954

76

1,137

31,201

13

1953

59

1,267

29,258

13

1952

68

1,149

28,524

12

1951

53

1,280

28,156

14

1950

64

1,158

27,026

13

1949

56

1,213

26,410

14

1948

69

1,063

26,804

13

1947

68

1,080

27,513

14

1946

61

1,094

24,279

14

1945

58

1,019

20,816

14

1944

81

847

21,170

13

1943

66

981

22,821

13

1942

79

867

22,421

11

1941

66

908

19,800

12

1940

64

897

18,205

12

1939

60

910

17,715

12

1938

75

816

17,734

12

1937

61

886

17,316

12

1936

70

808

17,453

11

1935

76

776

17,182

10

1934

87

714

17,103

10

1933

100

658

17,161

9

1932

104

660

18,560

9

1931

112

626

19,331

9

1930

141

576

20,981

9

1929

159

540

21,164

9

1928

182

513

22,306

9

1927

167

548

23,504

9

1926

161

564

23,762

8

1925

132

637

24,615

7

1924

135

646

25,426

7

1923

106

709

25,560

7

1922

104

716

25,700

7

1921

120

677

26,180

7

1920

112

688

25,591

7

1919

89

749

24,264

7

1918

90

752

26,263

7

1917

94

718

24,762

5

1916

77

783

23,883

5

1915

69

793

23,052

5

1914

69

696

18,829

5

1913

38

860

14,471

5

1912

44

760

12,062

5

1911

28

820

6,488

6

1910

29

802

5,228

6

1909

30

737

4,348

6

1908

21

865

4,162

6

1907

12

1,171

3,844

7

1906

21

810

3,527

7

1905

22

790

3,302

7

1904

18

864

3,291

7

1903

13

1,002

3,121

6

1902

8

1,381

3,098

7

1901

14

900

2,766

6

1900

14

1,031

3,714

7

1899

19

740

2,679

6

1898

23

686

3,171

6

1897

20

706

2,827

6

1896

24

645

3,051

6

1895

23

651

2,992

7

1894

17

730

2,977

6

1893

26

557

2,997

6

1892

13

847

3,064

7

1891

11

866

2,572

7

1890

11

853

2,670

7

1889

7

1,074

2,729

7

1888

18

602

2,993

7

1887

13

649

2,456

7

1886

8

863

2,594

7

1885

14

593

2,540

7

1884

9

766

2,707

7

1883

17

471

2,515

7

1882

6

854

2,670

7

1881

10

560

2,456

7

1880

10

562

2,632

7

United States name popularity data is provided by the Social Security Administration and is based on Social Security card applications.

Data for a given year is not made available until well into the next year.

Data reflects what was recorded and has not been edited for errors, so for example the gender associated with a name may be incorrect.

The more babies that are given a particular name, the higher the popularity ranking. If multiple names have the same usage, the tie is broken by assigning popularity rank in alphabetical order. Therefore in the case of names with fewer occurrences, names with the same number of occurrences may have vastly different rankings because they will be interranked alphabetically.

To safeguard privacy, the SSA does not include names with less than 5 occurrences.

Please note, we update the data each May when the SSA releases new figures. All data changes at that time, including previous years, which will change minutely based on new information.